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Talks & Tastings

We offer talks for public and private groups of all sizes and age groups. Talks are usually 60 minutes long and include multimedia and a Q&A; they can also be customized to fit your needs, including combining a talk and a tasting, adding live bees (in a protected observation hive), or being part of a group presentation.

Honey Tastings can be arranged for public fairs, school events, private parties, and more. These feature honey from at least four neighborhoods, display of tools and beehive artifacts, a slide show, and of course an ask-the-beekeeper opportunity.

2016 schedule and rates: Our rates start at $500 plus transportation and lodging (if necessary). Please inquire at least six months in advance. Our schedule is more available between October and February.

TALKS

Wings and Wheels: The talk focuses on pressing issues of transporation and the food system, using bees as a touchstone. It covers the history of beekeeping, particularly in urban settings (since 4500 BC!); the crucial changes in agriculture since the Industrial Revolution; the new Food Revolution; and how bees can help us plan and participate in a more efficient and just food system.

Community through the Hive: This talk explores developing community via the example of honey bees and the practice of beekeeping. It covers social behavior of bees (including swarms and the waggle dance), the “spirit of the hive” and the lessons bees — nature’s most generous animal — offer human social networks.

Honey Bees 101: A general introduction to honey bees, this talk is perfect for younger or introductory audiences. It customarily includes hands-on exercises and games led by a second faciliatator, covering pollination basics, vision, communication, navigation, architecture, and other elementary topics regarding honey bees.

Bees in Art and Culture: From Aristotle to Sylvia Plath, bees have been arguably the most prevalent natural subject in the history of literature. Depicted in cave paintings 15,000 years old and worshipped by Egyptians, bees were central to cultures worldwide until recently. Is the latest bee craze a fad or does it mark a return to harmony between humans and the planet on which we live?

TASTING (for groups of 4-10 people):

At your home or private venue with people you invite, we’ll give a presentation to remember: on the table, at least 6 varieties of local honey are laid out, along with some complementary fare. As you dig in, we share a brief background of honey and terroir: how do bees make honey? Why do honeys have different colors and taste different? What do different neighborhoods in Seattle taste like? What tastes good with honey? Why do people use honey as medicine? You’ll also get to chew raw propolis and examine frames of honeycomb from the hive. When your guests leave they will receive a jar of honey to take home.